Fantasia
by buckwolvhoosier
Summary: Nel always thought that she was your average American girl, but when she meets her twin brother, Eragon, at a night club in Chicago, she learns that she was made for something far greater than the mundane life she was living.
1. Chapter 1

**Fantasia**

**Chapter 1**

* * *

><p>"Hurry up! We don't want to be late." Nel squealed as she hopped out of the cab. The chilly Chicago air failed to penetrate her black cotton coat while she waited for her three friends to exit the car. She stared up at the skyscrapers, each building decorated in some way or another. Their glow made the city look alive as it shimmered like stars dancing in the dead of night. Of course, stars did not smell like exhaust and sewers, a smell that wafted around her nostrils.<p>

Lilly, a stout sixteen year old girl with brunette hair and green eyes, linked arms with Nel. Their friend Michelle did the same with Nel's other arm. Only Cameron, the only guy in the group, decided to keep his arms unlinked as he began to walk down the street. The four friends were heading towards Fantasia, a night club designed for those under the age of twenty-one. Before they could enter the world of endless dancing and music that made people deaf, they had to meet up with their two other friends Stephanie and Emma. They were cousins. Emma, the younger of the two, lived in Chicago with her parents and younger brother in an apartment.

Since she had the best knowledge of the city, it was Emma who convinced her friends to go clubbing in Chicago on New Year's Eve. At the subway station nearest the club, Nel spotted the two girls. "Hey!" Nel swooped in and gave the girls a tight hug. "It's been a while. How have you been, Emma?"

Emma hugged back. "I know. I have been all right, you know, the usual. Though, I will be a lot busier if I get a job, something my parents have been nagging me about. Gotta pay for college one way or another." They laughed lightly.

"Steph., Emma, this is Cameron. Cameron, this is Stephanie and Emma." Since she knew the girls better, Nel issued out the introduction.

Cameron strode forward and nodded at the two. "I have heard a lot about you; Nel never shuts up. It's nice to finally meet the source of her amusement."

Like a child, Nel stuck out her tongue. "Be nice," Lilly said as she hugged Stephanie and Emma. Behind her, Michelle stood quietly. She was always quiet and shy around people that she did not know very well. Stephanie she knew, but Emma was still quite new to her since they have only hung out once in the past months ago. They were more of Nel and Lilly's friends than hers.

"Are we ready?" Emma asked, bacomming giddy. The group nodded. "Great." Emma took the lead and as they walked, she could not stop raving about how awesome the club was and how she went there at least once a month. "Chicago had a lot to offer a young person, but nothing compares to Fantasia. The club was rated the safest and the most active night club for those under twenty-one. Trust me, you will love it!"

The line was long—very long. Nel thought that the lunch line back in high school was long, but this line was nearly three times as long and her school was not that small. It was intimidating really. Surprisingly, the line moved at a steady pace, so they managed to get inside within an hour. "Wow!" Nel lost her breath when her eyes landed on the gigantic disco ball that hung over the dance floor.

"Stunning, isn't it? No other club has a disco ball that large. It was donated to the club by a wealthy patron." Emma said as she took off her coat. In the background, Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" blasted from the stereo. "Yes! DJ Valentine is here tonight. We are in for a real treat."

"Who?" Cameron asked. He was the practical one in the group who never got out much. He liked to use logic over anything else, a trait that annoyed Nel at times. He still liked to joke around and have fun, but he still had his over technical moments that made him seem like a party pooper.

"Honestly Cameron, you need to get out more," Lilly giggled.

"DJ Valentine is the best DJ in the Chicago area! Fortune has smiled upon us tonight." Emma fixed her hair and scanned the room.

"Sorry that I was in college studying my ass off." He growled. Nel placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I know. I was in college too and am not really sure who DJ Valentine is either." She knew why Cameron was upset. There was a reason why he spent extra hours studying when he could have been out partying with his newfound college friends. The summer before college, he had broken up with his girlfriend Lexi, a girl that was also an ex-best friend to Nel.

In high school, Lexi, Cameron, and Nel were inseparable. They hung out nearly every day after school and believed that they would always be friends. Life was great, but like all great things, it had to come to an end. Time was not on their side as Lexi began to change. She fought constantly with Cameron for two years when they were dating. Nel soon felt like the third wheel and did her best to help Cameron through the bumpiest ride of his life.

They talked on Facebook or texted each night after Cameron finally ended the relationship a few weeks after graduation. Nel had ended her friendship with Lexi months before Cameron and became his crutch. When they left for college, Cameron tuned out fun and focused on his future to keep his mind off Lexi. He ended up going to Kalamazoo College while Nel stayed local and attended Lake Michigan College. They were only forty minutes apart, the same distance he normally was since they lived in different towns, but she craved to be closer to him. After LMC, she planned to head up to Western Michigan University where she would be literally next door to Cameron and receive great instruction in computer programming, the major she had decided upon.

"All right, that is enough talk. Can we please go dancing?" Lilly practically begged.

The dance floor vibrated as hundreds of youths moved their bodies to the pounding music simultaneously. The group pushed through the crowd to find a big enough gap for them to dance in—well for the girls to dance in. Cameron simply swayed from side to side not matter what song DJ Valentine played. The songs they knew were sung loudly and off key as they danced.

"Tonight we're going hard. Just like the world is ours. We're tearing it apart. You know we're superstars; we are who we are. We're dancing like we're dumb. Our bodies going numb. We'll be forever young. You know we're superstars; we are who we are." Even Cameron sang long to the famous Ke$ha song. He seemed to be enjoying himself despite his lack of movement. Nel laughed at he messed up the lyrics. Her heart beat wildly as she jumped up and down to the upbeat song that was remixed by the DJ. Sweat rolled down her face as the night wore on. She did not care. She was with her friends at a night club in Chicago on New Year's Eve.

She closed her eyes for a moment to reflect back. The year 2011 was eventful indeed, but not in a good way. Her mom lost her job and they struggled to make ends meet and to not be evicted from the trailer they lived in. For as long as she could remember, it had always been just her and her mom. No man had been in her life except for her two boyfriends, Nick and Caleb. Her mother never mentioned her father much; she just said that he was gone. Nel stopped pestering her mother when she learned that the memory of her father greatly pained her mother.

They lived meager lives and always managed to survive. Each year her mother would encourage her by saying that their lives would get better. Sometimes they did have a patch of good luck and they would be happy, but then their luck would end and they ended up worse than where they started. Nel wanted to believe that 2012 would be the best year ever, but she could not. Her mind would not allow her to have a false hope, no matter what her mother said.

Selena, Nel's mother, had told her that 2012 would be different—that she could sense a drastic change coming. Her mother sounded convincing enough, but she pulled a Cameron and used her logic instead. The only thing she wanted in 2012 was Cameron and she had plans to ask him out after midnight.

Yes, Nel had fallen in love with her best friend. She discovered her strong feelings for him around the time he had broken up with Lexi. One day, after she had a dream about marrying Cameron, Nel called Cam and told him how she felt. Instead of shying away, Cameron admitted that he liked her too, but said that he would rather be her best friend than date and risk breaking up. Nel understood his reasons, but his words still pained her. So, she waited. He had been through a lot and he was in no shape to be in another relationship. Besides, they did have college to focus on. He had always given her the vibe that they could still end up together. She found out the truth when her friend Melissa got him to open up. According to Melissa, he has thought about asking her out on several occasions, but chickened out.

Now that it was almost a new year, Nel decided to ask him. Her plan was that he would say yes and they would start 2012 with a kiss. Nel looked at her phone. 11:15. Only forty five minutes to go before it would be the new year.

Only when Nel was parched did she leave the dance floor. The group followed her as she headed towards the refreshment table.

"Thirsty?" Nel nodded. "I will get you a drink."

"Thanks Cam." Nel sat down on a swivel chair and took out her phone again. 11:45.

"What time is it?" Michelle asked. Dancing had made her come out of her shell and speak.

"Fifteen till." Michelle gasped. "I cannot believe it either." She smiled.

"So, are you ready?" Michelle winked. She knew of her plan to ask Cameron out.

"I think so."

"You will be fine. He came tonight knowing that he would be surrounded by five girls and he is getting you a drink. What more proof do you need to show that he likes you?" Emma said.

"I know that he likes me," Nel began. "I just hope he is ready for a relationship. I do not want to move too fast, but I am tired of waiting at the same time."

"Listen to your heart and go with the flow," Lilly said.

"Hippie much?" Stephanie questioned, stifling a laugh.

"Bitch much?" Lilly and Stephanie laughed.

"Well, if he turns you down, you can rest assured that the four of us will kick his ass for you." Emma said.

"Thanks, I think." They stopped talking when Cameron returned with two drinks in his hand.

"Here you go. I got you a Dr. Pepper."

"Thanks." Nel said as she took her drink.

"What about us?" Michelle pouted.

"The refreshments are right there," he pointed, "get a drink yourself."

"Jerk."

"I know." He took a sip. Michelle walked off along with the other girls leaving Cameron and Nel alone. Cameron's eyes sparkled brighter than the disco ball—Nel's heart skipped a beat. Her plan ran through her mind and no matter how hard she tried, she could not help herself.

"Cameron, I know we both had a rough year, and I was wondering, well hoping, that maybe this coming year we could face it together, as a couple. Will you go out with me?" She held her breath and closed her eyes, waiting for his response.

Cameron froze. He cared for Nel more than anything but he still could not date her. "Nel, I can't. I think of you only as a friend—my best friend. I do not want to lose what we have. You are better off pursuing another."

Bitter tears began to roll down Nel's cheeks. She felt woozy and in need of fresh air. Dropping her cup, she ran towards the back door, anxious to get out of the stuffy room. The air chilled her bones, but she did not care. Her body was numb already from rejection. As she slid down the side of the building, she heard the people counting down to the New Year.

"Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year," she whispered to herself. Her sobs drowned out the noise makers and cheering as the cold sting of rejection took its course. Her mother was wrong; 2012 would be no different than any other year—in fact, it was looking to be one of the worst.


	2. Chapter 2

**Fantasia**

**Chapter 2**

* * *

><p>Eragon winced when his body slammed against the ground. Stunned, he lay still to allow his head and stomach to settle, bile coating his tongue. The surface was hard and the air was cold making him shiver uncontrollably. With chattering teeth, he slowly stood up once he had regained control of his senses. His jaw dropped. Before him lay the strangest city he had ever set eyes on. The buildings were as tall as a mountain and skinny metal lights lit up the walkways. It took him a moment to realize that there were two, one where people walked and another where strange semi-rectangular metal objects with wheels moved upon. If not for his pain, he would believe himself to be dreaming.<p>

He heard loud music play in the behind him and decided to follow the sound. Where there was music, there was people and there might be someone he could talk to who could explain to him what had happened. His last memory of Alagaesia entered his mind; he was standing on top of a tall pillar in the middle of Vroengard trying to learn his true name. He had closed his eyes, exhaled, and began to meditate when his body was thrust forward and he felt the sensation of free fall. The action was so sudden that he did not even have time to think. Seconds later, he found himself in the city.

His leg throbbed as he limped out of the alley he was sitting in. Out in the open, he saw several young adults stagger around with beer bottles in their hands. Eragon shook his head and walked by without making eye contact. He did not stop until he had found the place where the music was being played, a two-story building with a sign that read, "Fantasia." Unsure what to expect, he began to head towards the doors. A burly man stopped him.

"Hey, the club is full. Get on out of here." Eragon examined the man further. His brown eyes looked black in the poor lighting as did his hair, making him look a little menacing. If his intense eyes did not scare off any unwanted people, his bulging muscles would have. Eragon was not scared, but he did not want to provoke the man.

"Oh sorry, I just wanted to…never mind." Eragon turned on his heel and headed the way he came. When the man was out of site, Eragon changed direction and walked down an alley behind the building. He smiled when he saw the back door, the door he hoped would allow him inside. He took a step towards his goal and froze. A faint sound caught his attention, a sound that was familiar to him. Squinting his eyes, he noticed the form of a girl curled up against the wall, crying.

"Hello?"

The girl looked up and rubbed her eyes. "Who's there?" Her voice held a note of fear.

"My name is Eragon." He held up his hands to show he meant her no harm. "Are you all right?"

"No, I am not all right. Just go away." She stood up and made her way towards the door.

"I'm sorry, is there anything I could do to help?" He asked. Deep down, he actually began to feel concerned for her, a feeling that took him by surprise since he had just met her.

"No." Her hand was upon the door and in one swift motion, she had it open. Without looking back, she walked inside.

Eragon sighed and followed suite a moment later. He scanned the room, but could not find her among the crowd. The amount of people that filled the room surprised him and he wondered how they could stand the music since he was already starting to get a headache from the noise. The room was also muggy from the heat and moisture that clung to the air. Hanging from the ceiling was a round glittering ball that rotated slowly, the light making the room sparkle. Along the wall was a long table with a man handing out drinks. Eragon trudged through the crowd of people and sat down on a round chair that turned when he moved, fascinating him.

He scanned the room once more and noticed that all the people were young, very young. He concluded that they were between the ages of fifteen to twenty. He could be wrong, but a majority did look to be around his age. Their dancing nearly made him blush as groups of people moved their bodies close together, almost touching. Some moves were more vulgar than others making him shake his head.

The music was not much better. From outside, he could not hear the lyrics, but now that he could, he frowned. Wherever he was, the people had very loose morals. He knew folk in Alagaesia were not much better, but it was never made public. "Can I get you anything?" The sudden voice made Eragon jump.

He looked at the man behind him and asked, "What do you have to offer?"

"We carry Coke products."

Eragon had no idea what a Coke was, so he nodded and said, "All right, I'll take a Coke." He hoped he sounded natural, but his self-consciousness began to ebb at him. The man returned shortly with a cup of the dark brown substance. When no one was looking, he sniffed it. A sweet smell filled his nose making his mouth water. He closed his eyes and took a sip. The liquid was cold and tasted like it smelled, sweet, but with a bubbly texture. He took another sip and decided that he liked the drink despite the lack of alcohol.

When he had finished the drink, he placed the cup on the table and crossed his arms. He had no idea who to ask for help since everyone seemed to be engaged in dancing. The ones who were not dancing were deep in conversation and he did not want to interrupt. Eragon sighed and simply waited. That was all he could do.

Several minutes passed before a group of girls exited the boisterous dance floor, one he recognized as the girl who had been crying. Her eyes were still red and puffy, but she was smiling as her friends tried to cheer her up. Eragon could not help but crack a smile himself. The girl was slim with golden blonde hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a strapless lavender dress that as cut off at the knees and shoes that made her look taller than she actually was. All in all, she was very pretty and reminded him of someone…but who?

Without meaning to, he found himself staring at her. A tap on his shoulder made him exit his reverie and into the strange reality he had been thrust into. A girl with dark brown hair and green eyes stood before him. "Oh, hello."

"What are you doing here?"

The girl was not hiding her anger. "I'm sorry?"

"Don't pretend to be stupid. You followed my friend in here to check-out, didn't you?" She balled up her fists.

Eragon did follow her inside, but entering the club was his plan initially as well. As he tried to explain to the girl about his motives, as another one of the girl's friends approached him. "All right Lilly, that's enough. Just leave him alone." The girl grabbed Lilly and started to walk away.

"Wait!" Eragon was chasing after them before he could think his actions through.

"What?" Lilly growled.

The venom in her voice made him recoil. Taking a deep breath, he regained his courage. "This is going to sound strange, but what is this place?"

Lilly looked at her friend and then back at Eragon. "Are you for real?"

"Umm…yes?" He felt stupid.

"You are at a night club called Fantasia. Jeeze." She took a step back and whispered into her friend's ear. Eragon felt bad for asking and began to walk away. His heart sank when he realized that people would only look at him like a madman, and he had to admit, he did sound crazy. His clothes were different and he knew that he stood out no matter how much he tried to blend in.

He did not get far when someone tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, who are you anyways?" It was Lilly. Her eyes had softened a little and she looked as if she felt bad for being mean.

"My name is Eragon."

"I am Lilly and this is Emma."

"Hello." He turned to leave again.

"Hey, where are you from?"

"Huh?" Her question sounded innocent enough, but as a stranger to their world, he felt it was more like an interrogation. "Not from around here to say the least."

"I've noticed. So, you traveled alone to Chicago?"

"Ah…" Chicago. The name danced around in his mind as he looked at the girl.

"I am alone, but I did not intentionally travel here. I am actually lost and am trying to find a way back to…" he paused. The girls had just begun to be nice to him and now he was going to sound like a lunatic again.

"Home? What did you do, miss your stop on the train or something?"

Eragon shrugged. Their world had so many funny names. "I am not sure how to explain my situation without sounding insane. Sorry, I should probably leave you alone. Thanks."

"For what?"

"For listening, I guess. Everyone has been ignoring me."

"I know the feeling," Lilly whispered under her breath. "Well, do you have a phone?"

"A what?"

Lilly pulled out a small object from her chest. Eragon averted his eyes, embarrassed. "If you try to run off with it, I will have my friend call the police, so don't try anything." She handed him her cell.

Eragon took the object from her, looking it over curiously. He noticed a crease and opened it up to find numbers and other symbols on one side and a black window looking shape on the other. He felt helpless. Lilly crossed her arms and waited for him to dial someone. When he just stood there, she sighed heavily. "Don't tell me you have no one to call." She took the phone back from Eragon and placed it back in her black dress.

"Sorry."

"It's fine. Where are you from exactly? Maybe I can give you some suggestions?"

Eragon thought over her proposal before he responded. "I am from Alagaesia."

Lilly's face contorted in confusion. "Where is that?"

"I have no idea where that is from here."

Silence. Lilly was unsure how to respond and Eragon just shrugged. "Thanks anyways, but I had better go."

"Where?" This time Lilly looked concerned. "My friend's mother is on her way here. I guess you can wait with us until she gets here and maybe she can help you. That is all I can suggest at the moment." Eragon nodded and followed Lilly as she led him towards her group of friends. The girl he had seen crying, Nel, still had puffy eyes and he wondered what had upset her.

"Guys, this is Eragon and he is just going to wait with is, okay?" Nel eyed him curiously. Now that he was in the light, she could see him better. He was handsome and she could not help but think of how his features resembled her own. She shrugged off the thought and looked back at Lilly.

"I guess so."

A young man sat quietly on a stool spinning around next to the girls. He looked distressed as well and it was then that Eragon made the connection that he was the reason Nel was upset. The group welcomed him well enough and included him in their conversation. From them, he learned that they were celebrating a New Year, the year 2012. The revelation was startling and he had to steady himself, a moment that only Nel noticed.

An hour later, Nel's phone began to vibrate in her hand. She looked at it, raised it to her ear, and said, "Hi mom. Yeah we are by the refreshment table talking. Emma and Stephanie are getting picked up later by Emma's mom and the rest are leaving with us, I think." She looked at the group and they nodded. "I know, but what are they supposed to do? The train does not leave until seven in the morning and…Ok. We will meet you there. I love you too, bye." Nel pressed a button and put her phone away. "My mom will be here in about ten minutes and wants us to meet her at the club entrance, so let's go wait there."

Ten minutes passed by quickly. The longer he was with Nel, the more his curiosity grew. She was unlike the other girls in her group of friend and he wanted to know what made her stand out, aside from the fact that she looked like…him? He could not escape that fact. He thought about her mom next; he was curious what she looked like and how she acted. What made him want to know more about them confused him and made him feel like he was trying to pry into their private life, but the feeling never dissipated. There was a reason he was in Chicago and he needed answers.

A white rectangular moving object pulled up to the side of the walkway a few feet from them and made a sound. The girls looked up and Eragon saw their relief. A tall woman with blonde hair exited the object and met them halfway. "Mom!" Nel hugged the woman.

"Hey sweetheart," she said as she embraced her daughter. "You all right? You gave me a scare when you called."

"Yeah, I am fine, just hurt. You know what I mean." Her mother nodded.

"Come, let's get you all back home." Nel, Lilly, and Michelle said their goodbyes to Emma and Stephanie before heading towards the object. Cameron was already inside, waiting.

"Selena, this kid behind me kind of needs some help. I met him about two hours ago and he is like mega lost." Lilly said, gesturing at Eragon.

"Mother?" Eragon whispered to himself. The woman locked eyes with him and froze.

"That's fine, Lilly. Just get in the car now."

"Selena?"

"Now! Get in the car now." Lilly did as she was told despite her urge to question Nel's mother. Eragon stood his ground when she approached, cautiously. "Who are you?" She asked, almost afraid of the answer. The thought that her son was before her made her nervous. The last time she saw Eragon was when he was only an infant. Now, he would be almost eighteen like his twin sister, Nelda.

"I am Eragon." Selena could not restrain herself; she lunged forward and embraced him.

"Oh my son!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Fantasia**

**Chapter 3**

* * *

><p>Eragon was stunned. He stood stock-still as the woman, nay, his mother held him tight. So many questions ran through his mind and he had no idea which one he wanted answered first. He wanted to hug back, but his arms would not move, so he just stood there waiting for his mother to let go. Emma and Stephanie were gaping at them, making him feel even more uncomfortable.<p>

There was no doubt that the woman was his mother. She had his hair and eyes and he could feel a certain closeness to her. What he could not understand was how she as alive. He had grown up believing that she was dead, and here she was in the flesh. The longer she embraced him, the stronger his desire to learn the answers.

As he racked his brain for a question, another revelation hit him: Nel was his sister! His mother was the only reason why he did not collapse to the ground, but his head was spinning. His entire world was suddenly turned upside down and the worst part of his situation was that he was no longer in Alagaesia. He was grateful to have met his mother, and sister, but he wished he were with Saphira. In his mind, he envisioned himself soaring through the air.

A shiver ran through his spine. He opened his eyes, not even realizing that he had closed them, and noticed his mother staring at him. Of all the questions that ran through his mind, all he could utter was, "How?"

Selena sighed. "It's complicated. I will explain everything to you later. Come, let us go." She gestured towards the car.

Eragon felt cheated, but began to follow his mother towards the vehicle. His mother was about to reach for the handle when she realized that there was not enough room in her car for another passenger. Frantically, she tried to think of a solution. She could have Eragon squish in the backseat, but the ride home would be very uncomfortable and she did not want to risk getting a ticket either. The police were always out over the holidays looking primarily for drunk drivers.

Her eyes landed on Michelle. Suddenly, another idea crossed her mind. Without hesitating, she spun on her heel and addressed Emma. "Is there room at your house for another person?"

"Yes. We have a queen sized air mattress that we can blow up next to the couch in the living room."

"Great. Do you think your parents are still awake?"

Emma knew what she was trying to do. "My dad might be up. I'll give him a call." She grabbed her phone and paused. "Who did you want to send to my house?"

"Michelle." Emma nodded and dialed her father's number.

Meanwhile, Selena had her cell in hand and was dialing Michelle's father. "Hello, sorry to bother you Mr. Casper, but I need to ask you a question. Would it be all right if Michelle stayed the night with Emma and Stephanie in Chicago? This is Selena, Nel's mother. I would, but there is not enough room in my car. Mhmm. I understand the inconvenience. Let me check," Selena looked at Emma. The girl gave her a thumbs up. "Yes, it is all right with Emma's parents. All right. Thanks. Mhmm. Bye."

"So, Michelle is spending the night with me?" Emma asked.

"That is correct." Selena headed back to the car and opened the door to the backseat. "Michelle, that was your father I was talking to on the phone. We made arrangements for you to stay with Emma tonight."

"What?" It was Nel who spoke. She had twisted around in her seat to glare at her mother.

"Selena, I do not know those girls very well, so please do not make me go." Michelle pleaded.

"I'm sorry, but there is not enough room in my car for all of you." Selena felt awful, but she could not abandon her son to the streets of Chicago.

"What the hell is going on?" Nel was getting upset.

"We have to take Eragon home with us."

"What the fuck? Mom, we do not even know him! I know he needs help, but taking him home with us is a bit extreme, don't you think?" Nel was utterly confused. Why would her mother take a stranger home? It was bad enough that she had hugged him. She figured that her mother was being sympathetic, but taking him home was crazy, and unsafe.

"Watch your language," Selena snapped. "I will explain what is going on soon enough." Cringing a little, Michelle exited the car. As she walked past Eragon, she shot him a dirty look. After all, he is the one responsible for all the commotion.

Nel turned back around in her seat, sitting properly, and crossed her arms. She just wanted to get home and eat a gallon of ice cream while watching cheesy chick flicks. At the love scenes, she would curse Cameron's name and then cry her eyes out, yearning for the love they had. All she wanted was for Cameron to give her a chance, and now, it was futile; Cameron was stubborn as hell and would not change his mind very easily. What she needed was a miracle, or a fairy Godmother.

Lost in her thoughts, she did not realize that Eragon was in the car, her mother already placing the key into the ignition. Nel rolled down her window to say goodbye to her friends. "I will call you tomorrow and tell you what is going one once I have the details."

"Don't you mean later today?" Emma asked, jokingly.

"Yeah." She waved and said, "Bye!"

Eragon sat quietly in the backseat. He was sitting next to Cameron who seemed lost in his own thoughts. Only Lilly and his mother acknowledged him. "Happy New Year, by the way." Lilly said, breaking the silence.

"Thanks," replied Eragon. To his mother, he asked, "How far is your house from Chicago?"

"Roughly ninety miles which is about a two hour drive. Though, with the lack of traffic and excellent weather conditions, we should be home sooner. We will be dropping off Cameron first. Lilly is staying with us since her mother is out of town and we already made plans."

Eragon nodded, amazed. Saphira was fast and he thought there would never be a creature, or object, faster than her. Already he was proved wrong. He wondered how the machine worked and how hard it was to operate. "So, this is a car?"

"Yes." Selena said. Next to her, Nel rolled her eyes, grabbing her I-pod. Seconds later, faint music could be heard from her headphones.

"They do not have cars where you are from?" Lilly was becoming more fascinated by the second. Her enthusiasm heartened Eragon and he wished his sister would take an interest in him like her friend.

"No, we travel on foot and horses mainly." He purposely left out the dragons.

"Damn, that's practically medieval!"

Selena laughed. "In a way, you are right. Alagaesia is very different."

For the first time in hours, Cameron spoke. "Wait, how did you know where Eragon was from?"

Eragon looked at his mother and then at Cameron. "I told her when I was asking her for help. I was surprised she had heard of…my county?" He lied.

Cameron raised his eyebrows, but made no further comment.

Eragon avoided his gaze and stared out the window. The only thing he could see were the city lights fading way in the distance and he had to admit, riding in a car was fun. Not as fun as riding on a dragon, but still thrilling.

Several times Lilly tried to converse with him, but he did not say much. What could he say? Most of the things she asked he had no clue about. At long last, he asked her a question, taking the conversation off of himself. "What is Michigan like?"

Lilly thought for a moment and then said, "It's all right, I guess. I have not been able to travel much, so I do not know how it compares to other states."

"Oh, " Eragon was disappointed. He wanted more details, not a vague answer like he always got. "I guess I will have to wait and see for myself, huh."

"I think you will like it. We live in a small town, so it's nothing like Chicago, though you can see the city from across the lake on a good day."

"What lake?"

"Lake Michigan." Selena said, joining the conversation. She had remained quiet when she had no navigate through an area of road construction. "Michigan is known for its five Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior. HOMES is a great way to remember them."

"So you live on Lake Michigan?"

"Mhmm." She focused on her driving once more.

Lilly was about to say something, but held her tongue, something that happened only on rare occasions. Eragon glanced at her and smiled meekly. It was not his fault he was so ignorant. The rest of the drive was pretty quiet. Nel was listening to music and Cameron dozed off while Eragon stared out the window again. Lilly and Selena talked idly about the club and what had happened between Cameron and Nel. For the first time, Eragon fully understood why his sister was so mad. He was no stranger to heartbreak; he had tried pursuing the elf Arya and faced the cold sting of rejection. He shuddered as he remembered that terrible night in Du Weldenvarden.

The ride felt short for being on the road for two hours, but before he knew it, he was looking at Cameron's house. "Thanks for dropping me off, Selena. Tell Nel that I'm sorry."

Selena leaned over and snatched Nel's I-pod. "Get those things out of your ears and listen to what your friend has to say."

"Mom, why are you trying to make my life a living hell right now?" She crossed her arms, pouting.

"I know you have been hurt tonight, but you are not the only one going through a very emotional time, okay. Now look at Cameron." With a sigh, she did as she was told.

Cameron kicked the dirt and said, "I'm sorry Nel, but we cannot be more than friends. I hope you can forgive me." He walked away before she could respond.

"Bye Cameron," Lilly and Selena said almost in unison.

The drive from Cameron's house was more lively than Eragon had expected. Nel no longer listened to her music as she talked with Lilly. During their conversation, Nel mentioned that she needed ice cream. "We are all out, so I am going to have to stop at the store if you really want some."

Nel nodded. "Then let's make a Meijer run." She glanced at her friend and began to laugh.

"What?" Lilly was confused.

"I was thinking about the time when we were walking around Meijer's singing "Tiptoe Through the Tulips." Both girls began to laugh hysterically.

"That was hilarious! Remember that guy at the check-out who asked us what school we went to and we were like, Lakeshore. His look was priceless."

"I know! It was great."

Selena pulled into the vast parking lot, the red letters of the building catching Eragon's eye. When the car was in park she asked, "All right, who is coming with me aside from Eragon?"

"Mom, can we just stay in the car?"

Selena nodded and opened the door. "Come on Eragon, let's get these girls some ice cream and you some new clothes." She was about to close the door when she suddenly added, "Oh, and I will grab some pickles and whipped cream for you, Lilly."

"Thanks! You're the best!" Lilly was getting hyper.

Eragon walked behind his mother observing his surroundings. The parking lot was empty save for a few cars. When they approached the doors, Eragon yelped, taking a step back; the doors had opened on their own, scaring him. "How was that accomplished? Some kind of magic?"

"No, it's just science and technology. Come along." Cautiously, he walked through the automatic door another opening when the one behind him closed. Inside, he noticed several things at once; on his left were dozens of fruit stands while to his right, he noticed people standing in line, high pitched beeps coming from a weird device. His mother grabbed a cart and began rolling it towards the clothes department.

"This is a very strange market…Open all day and night?"

"Except on Christmas, yes." She led him over to the men's clothes. "Now, let us find you something more appropriate to wear." She scanned several racks of shirts before her eyes landed upon a blue long sleeved shirt. Quickly she looked at the price tag and the size before handing it to her son. "Here hold this."

Eragon was given several more shirts and some pants before he was told to try them on in the dressing room. As instructed, he exited the room after he had them on, his mother scrutinizing him. "Hmm, the second pair of jeans seems to fit you better. We will take those." They continued to shop for clothes until Eragon had five shirts and three pairs of jeans. Then, she led him to the shoe department. Finding him a pair of shoes was quite simple after she had sized up his foot and found a white pair of Nike's that was on sale.

"There, you are all set."

"They felt weird." Eragon protested.

"I know, but you will get used to them."

They left the shoe department and headed towards the ice cream. "This world is so strange. How did you come to be in this place?"

Selena stopped pushing the cart to look at her son. "Let's finish our shopping and head home first. The answer is complicated and should not be revealed here."

Eragon shivered when they entered the frozen food aisle, a long line of glass doors filled with various items. "More science and technology?" He asked, pointing at the freezers.

"Yes, and they are very convenient," she said, opening a door to grab a half gallon of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. She grabbed another flavor, mint chocolate chip, before she turned to ask Eragon if he wanted some ice cream. "They are on sale; 3 for $10, so I might as well buy three."

Looking through the variety of flavors, Eragon became overwhelmed. "What one do you suggest?"

"Hmm. Well, what about Moose Tracks?" She grabbed the container and handed it to Eragon.

"Vanilla ice cream with peanut butter cups and moose tracks fudge." He looked up from the container and shrugged, "Sounds good to me."

"Then it's settled. If you do not like this, then I also have Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Mint Chip." They finished up their shopping by grabbing some pepperoni pizza, Dr. Pepper, dill pickles, and whipped cream. At the check-out, Selena showed her on how to scan and pay for the items. "We have cash, but it's much easier to use a Debit card." She held up a small blue card with white letters that said, "Chase."

She slid the card through the device and pressed a few buttons to begin the transaction. Once completed, the machine thanked them for shopping at Meijer. "Your sister works here; I forgot to tell you that."

They were in the parking lot walking back to the car with their grocery bags. "Really?"

"Mhmm. She has a few days off for the holidays, which is nice." She opened the trunk of her car and placed the bags inside. Eragon returned to his seat and buckled up the way he was shown. Once his mother was ready, they drove off towards her house, a small trailer at the other end of the town.


End file.
